So I love to cook and entertain, what's wrong with that? I host dinner parties all the time and have been asked to share recipes, pictures, ideas, etc., with co-workers, friends and family. I finally decided to make this happen, please enjoy!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

I have been wanting a slow cooker for over a year and finally decided that it was time to take the plunge and make that happen. I was so excited when the UPS truck showed up at my house with my new slow cooker. I immediately opened it up and checked it out, then found a home for it in my basement on one of my metro racks. I have never used a slow cooker, so I had no idea what to make first. My mom, who is so thoughtful sent me a couple of cooking magazines and I got inspired by a dish I saw in one of them and came up with this delicious Moroccan Chicken recipe. I have read many reviews on slow cooking chicken, and thigh meat turns out the best due to the amount of fat it has, as breast meat will get too dry when it’s cooked too long. As a base for this dish I made a yummy couscous which I made last as a side dish with Moroccan Tagine Chicken.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet, over medium high heat add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes, remove to a plate. When chicken has cooled slightly, remove the skin and discard. Place the chicken into the slow cooker insert.Remove all but 1 Tablespoon fat from the skillet and return to medium high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are soft. Add the broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chutney, garlic, curry powder, garam masala, paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Pour mixture into the slow cooker, turning chicken to coat in the sauce.Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 4 hours. Turn off slow cooker, stir sauce, replace lid and let stand for about 15 minutes to thicken sauce.Serve over couscous or rice and garnish with the apple, mango, parsley, almonds, and toasted coconut.

Mmmmm! I like the sound of this. I have eaten Moroccan food, in Morocco no less, but that now seems like it happened in another lifetime. I have never tried my hand at cooking any though, this sounds like a great way to start.

Congratulations on the new slow-cooker, I wish you many years of happiness together. :-) I know I wouldn't be without mine, even if it is a hand me down.

About Me

Food is fun, stress relieving, and who doesn't like to eat? I enjoy food way too much and often find myself throwing last minute dinner parties at the spur of a moment. If it's planned out it gets even more intense and if it's an event, well, I seem to go over the top! As much as I love my passion for cooking and food, the only thing that makes a great meal are the friends that come over and create the magic around the dinner table.